A Thoughtless Dream
by Rocklover91
Summary: On Hiatus, possibly permanently. The Prince's Tale. It goes along with the book, only from Severus' point of view. More elaboration than in the books...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All characters, as well as part of the dialog, belongs solely to JK Rowling. I am editing parts to fit my own story purposes.**

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Chapter 1

A sunny wednesday afternoon found Severus Snape hiding behind a hydrangea bush, watching as two girls played on a swing set. One girl, who he knew to be Lily Evans, was showing off to her sister: she got the swing to go as high as possible and jumped, falling softly back to the ground. Her sister, Petunia Evans, watched in horror every time she did this. Repeatedly, Petunia begged her to stop, but Lily was having too much fun to care.

Severus watched as Lily once again fell lightly to the ground, the sun shining in her dark red hair.

"Lily! Stop that! Mummy said not to! How are you doing that anyway?"

"I don't know. I've just... always been able to..."

She stopped as Severus stepped out from behind the bush.

"Isn't it obvious?" he said, allowing a small trace of a smile to form on his lips.

"Isn't what obvious?" Lily asked him. Petunia was eying Severus with distaste. Glancing at her, his pallid face flushed with color. She was looking him up and down, a pronounced smirk on her face. His flush deepened.

"I know who you are," Petunia sneered. "You're that Snape boy from Spinner's End. What do you want?"

With a great effort, Severus looked once again at Lily. She was simply looking at him, but curiously, as if waiting for him to sprout wings and fly.

"You're a witch." Severus said excitedly. Lily stepped closer to her sister, looking mortified.

"That's an awful thing to say to someone."

"No, I'm... I'm serious! You're a witch. Like my mother. And I'm a wizard!" His flush further as Petunia looked him up and down once again in distaste. She grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her away toward the house. Neither looked back.

Severus watched the girls leave, wondering how he had said it wrong. He looked down at his overly large jacket and baggy, stained tee-shirt, cursing himself for ruining his one chance. She would never speak to him now.

He walked over to the swing which Lily had just abandoned, removed his jacket, and sat down. He sat there for a few minutes, dreading returning home. He eventually lost track of just how long he'd been there.

A noise from behind him woke Severus from his thoughts. He jumped up from the swing and turned, looking for the source of the noise.

Lily had returned. Severus froze, looked at Lily, and turned away. He began walking home. But Lily caught up with him a few steps away.

"Hey, you... you left this." She held his jacket out to him. "Umm... what you said before... Why'd you say that? Tunie says you were just being mean, but... I don't think you were trying to be."

Severus stopped and looked at Lily. He hated himself for the flush returning to his face. His realization of the jacket in Lily's hands further darkened the color of his cheeks.

"Seriously! If you've got an explanation for... for these... these things I can do..."

Severus looked away agian. "I... I meant what I said. I could see it." He looked again at lily, trying to sense her reaction. "That's how you can do it all. I've... I'm sure because... I've been watching you. That's how I knew."

"You've been... watching me?"

He turned away again and began walking again, this time much faster, however.

"Don't go! Please! I... If it's true... If I'm a... Please don't go!"

Lily ran to catch up again. She grabbed his arm lightly, but he flinched away, looking at her again, this time with a look of fear mingled with shock. Their eyes met briefly, and Severus dropped his gaze to the ground. He turned from her again with the full intent to run home and never look back. This was not how it was supposed to happen.

"I'm sorry, Severus." She reached out again, this time taking his hand. He attempted to pull back again, looking at her as if she'd struck him. She held fast, not allowing his escape. Something popped into his head, and he looked at her again.

"How'd... How'd you know my name?"

To his surprise, Lily smiled. "You can't live with Petunia Evans and not know the names of everyone in the country." Her laugh was unlike any sound he had heard in his life. He couldn't help smiling in return.

"So... what were you saying about... about me being a witch?"

Lily, still holding his hand, led him to a small thicket of trees, which he knew to be her secret place. She released his hand and sat on the ground, looking at him expectantly.

"Well... It shows because... Because you can do all these things. I've seen you. The swing, the flowers obeying you... all of it. All things muggles can't do. Like when you..."

"Wait." She cut him off. "Muggles?"

"Oh. Non-magical people." Severus sat beside Lily and told her everything he knew about his world. About their world.

Lily lay back onto the pavement looking up at the stars. Severus looked down at her and stopped speaking. She looked so happy. She looked back at him questioningly. She grabbed his arm again and pulled him down beside her. This time, he didn't pull away.

Severus looked at Lily again, but she pointed to the sky. There was a shooting star directly over them. After it passed, the two looked at one another again. Severus sat up quickly, though still looking at Lily. She followed suit and glanced at her watch.

"Hey, I've got to get back. Mum'll be worried. Can you... Will you meet me by the swings again? I mean you don't have to of course, but..."

"Of course... If you want me to... I will." A small smile brightened the boy's face, and Lily beamed at him. The two stood and walked together back to the playground. After another glance at one another, and a whispered "good bye," the friends separated.

Severus walked as slowly as he dared home. With any luck, his parents would be asleep by the time he returned. He slipped his jacket back on as he walked up his driveway. He paused at the door, listening and, upon hearing nothing, he opened the door. A noise behind him made him jump, but there was nothing there. Probably just a stray cat. He walked through the doorway and soundlessly closed the door. He made his way through the dingy house to his own bedroom. Every shadow seemed to belong to his father, every noise seemed to be his footsteps approaching.

He opened the door to his room, the only available light coming from the streetlight just outside his window. He lay down on his bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering how many times he'd be able to sneak out to see Lily Evans without his mother realizing he had feelings for a muggle-born.

_**Where is this going? Read the Harry Potter books and you'll know the end. I think. Haven't entirely decided yet. Otherwise, read on and, of course, review!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All characters, as well as part of the dialog, belongs solely to JK Rowling. I am editing parts to fit my own story purposes.**

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Chapter 2

Severus sat under a tree waiting once again for some sign of Lily. He had waited already for close to an hour now and still saw or heard nothing. He told himself she was coming. But he was struggling to convince himself of this now. And with each passing minute, the likelihood of Lily meeting him lessened.

"I should have known," Severus muttered to himself, standing. He didn't want to go home, but there was no point in staying here. Lily wasn't coming. And why would she?

He wandered around a bit, wanting to leave but still hoping she might come around the corner any second. But after ten more minutes of this, he realized he was wasting his time.

He stepped into the woods again where he and Lily had spoken the night before. But someone was already there.

"Lily," he said softly. She looked up, clearly startled. She had been crying, this much was evident.

"Severus! I thought... I thought you weren't... And that would mean that you had been just making things... But never mind that. Where have you been? I've been here hours!"

Severus stared at the girl. Had she really waited hours? And was she really crying over him?

"Lily, what happened? Is everything okay? Why're you..." He stopped himself. He didn't want to push her away by prying.

"Oh, it's nothing. Really, Sev, no big deal." He looked up abruptly.

"Sev?" She flushed slightly. He grinned slyly. "Only if you're Lil."

Lily beamed up at him. "Get over here you. And if you call me Lil, I'll kill you." The two laughed hard at this, Severus walking quickly to Lily and sitting down again.

**_Any requests? Hint: next chapter is on Platform 9 & 3/4... I have one scene planned, but am open to ideas. Please review!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All characters, as well as part of the dialog, belongs solely to JK Rowling. I am editing parts to fit my own story purposes.

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Chapter 3

There they were. Severus had been waiting alone at Kings Cross station, beside Platform 10 of course, for close to an hour. His mother had dropped him off early, telling him how to get onto the platform only seconds before she left him standing there. And finally, an hour later, the Evans family was in sight. Perfect timing too, as it was only ten minutes until 11:00, the train's leaving time. Lily looked delighted, but her sister clearly did not share her enthusiasm. Their parents were looking around, more than likely searching for the Hogwarts platform. But of course, as the platform was not applicable to muggles, they could not see it. Granted, neither could he yet. But, he had no idea if Lily's family could even get onto the platform, and if they could, how could they get back to the muggle station?

Seeing her friend waiting for them, Lily broke away from her family, and ran to Severus. He was shocked, but had gotten used to her constant hugs and displays of friendship. But he knew it would end as soon as the girl found someone new at Hogwarts. No one in their right mind would rather spend time with him than someone more… more friendly? More intelligent? So many words filled his mind, but he shoved the thought aside. Right now, all Lily cared about was him, and he was grateful.

"Um… Sev? The ticket says Platform 9 and ¾. Is there such a thing? There's nine, and there's ten. Nothing in between." She looked at him impatiently, as if expecting him to say 'Oh, just kidding, Lily. It's all just been one big joke.'

"You have to lean into the wall. Or run into it. At least that's what my mother told me."

"Where is she?"

"Um… She had to… She went home already. I told her I'd wait here for you and then…"

"She didn't wait till you boarded?" This thought hadn't even occurred to Severus. Of course Lily was shocked. Her parents, her muggle parents, had even planned to watch her board the train to school. His own mother hadn't even said goodbye. But Lily needn't know that part.

"She had to get home. Um… Father's sick." It was not the first time Severus had lied to Lily about his parents. She did not need the truth: that neither of his parents would care if he never even made it to Hogwarts. He couldn't stand the idea of her knowing that.

Lily gave Severus a weird look, but then whispered her fears to him. "What if mom and dad and Tunie can't get in? They're… not like us."

"We'll just have to find out. I've… My mother did not know either." In truth, she probably knew, he just hadn't mentioned to anyone at home that the person he had spent most of his time with was muggleborn. That would have only made his already awful treatment by his father ten times worse. "Mr. Evans, maybe you should try it first. Try leaning into the wall here," Severus gestured to the barrier between the platforms, "and see what happens. One of us may have to come with you. I've never… I don't know if it'll work."

Lily's father stepped up to the barrier and leaned against the solid wall. He slipped through. His wife gasped in shock, glancing at Severus. She wanted an explanation, but he was unable to give one. He had no idea how people could go through a wall, they just could. It was magic, no questions asked. The boy gestured to the wall again, motioning for the others to go before him. They did so, and at last it was only Severus and Lily in the muggle station. He glanced at the clock. Five minutes before the train would leave. Lily gasped, pulling Severus by the arm. The friends passed through the barrier… and straight into Lily's family. They hadn't expected the others to come through with any speed, but because of the trolleys, they had had no choice.

"I'm so sorry!" Lily said, stifling a giggle at her sister's expression. Severus took his own trunk closer to the train, allowing the family to say their goodbyes. But it seemed that Petunia and Lily had their own unfinished business before she could say goodbye.

He could barely hear their angry words, but heard enough to know what was going on. It was about the stupid letter Petunia had written to the Hogwarts Headmaster, the letter which Severus had found and shown to Lily. "I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen… maybe once I'm there, maybe I can go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"

"I don't want to go," Petunia shrieked, dragging her hand from her sister's tight hold. "You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be…" Her eyes travelled over the crowd encircling them. "You think I want to be a freak?"

Lily's eyes filled with tears at Petunia's remark. "I'm not a freak. That's a horrible thing to say."

"That's where you're going, a special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy, both of you are weirdos. It's good you're being separated from the rest of us. It's for our safety."

Lily looked at her parents, but they seemed to hear none of their daughters' argument. Her voice dropped, but Severus could still pick up the words, the angry tone in which they were spoken. "It was not such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you."

Petunia's face grew crimson. "Beg? You think I begged? I…"

"I saw his reply. It was very kind."

"You read… How did you find… That was private… my private… It was that boy, wasn't it. That Snape freak. You let him sneak around in my room and…"

"You left it out, no one was sneaking anywhere."

"Freak!" Petunia spat the word at her sister, and rejoined her parents. There was now one minute before the train's departure. Lily ran to her parents, gave them each a fleeting hug and a smile, and began pulling her trunk towards Severus and toward the train. Lily yelled over her shoulder something pertaining to writing, but Severus couldn't hear past the train whistle blowing. A couple prefects helped them with their trunks, and the two went together to find a relatively empty compartment. Lily could barely hide her tears from her friend, but knew Severus wouldn't mention anything.

_**Yes, a long excerpt from the book. Any requests for Chapter 4? Please review!**_


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